xcavations of the Roman city of Sepphoris have uncovered numerous detailed mosaics depicting several readily identifiable animal species: a hare, a partridge, and various Mediterranean fish. Oddly, most of the species represented did not live in the Sepphoris region when these mosaics were created. Since identical motifs appear in mosaics found in other Roman cities, however, the mosaics of Sepphoris were very likely created by traveling artisans from some other part of the Roman Empire. Which of the following is an assumption on which the argument depends? A. The Sepphoris mosaics are not composed exclusively of types of stones found naturally in the Sepphoris area. B. There is no single region to which all the species depicted in the Sepphoris mosaics are native. C. No motifs appear in the Sepphoris mosaics that do not also appear in the mosaics of some other Roman city. D. All of the animal figures in the Sepphoris mosaics are readily identifiable as representations of known species. E. There was not a common repertory of mosaic designs with which artisans who lived in various parts of the Roman Empire were familiar. Premise: The ANIMALS depicted in the mosaics did not live in Sepphoris. Conclusion: The mosaics must have been created by TRAVELING ARTISANS. The assumption is that LOCAL ARTISANS in Sepphoris were not familiar with the animals depicted in the mosaics. Apply the NEGATION TEST. When the correct answer choice is negated, the conclusion will be invalidated. Answer choice E: There was a common repertory of mosaic designs with which artisans who lived in various parts of the Roman Empire were familiar. If the animals depicted in the mosaics were part of A COMMON REPERTORY OF DESIGNS known to all artisans in the Roman Empire, then LOCAL ARTISANS in Sepphoris could have created the mosaics, invalidating the conclusion that the mosaics must have been created by TRAVELING ARTISANS. The correct answer is E.